The co-specialization in Entrepreneurship is designed for Busch School students who want to learn entrepreneurship while studying accounting, business and public affairs, international business, finance, management, or marketing. The co-specialization helps students apply entrepreneurship theory, discipline, and principles to real-world challenges and opportunities. Entrepreneurship is often equated to starting new businesses, but you needn't want to own a business to benefit from the program. In any field of study, entrepreneurial skills help individuals move from ideas to impact: seizing possibilities, solving problems, transforming communities large or small — and making a transformative difference in your field.

At the Ciocca Center for Principled Entrepreneurship we see entrepreneurship as a reflection of the nature of the human person who is made in the image of God: the human person is co-creator, both inside and outside of the business realm. We hold an integral vision of entrepreneurship, one that centers on the human person as the source of social change in the world.

"Principled Entrepreneurship" serves the integral development of the human person and is a key building block of a free and virtuous society. Whether your dream is serving others through business innovation, reducing illiteracy, spurring economic development in poor communities, or putting your gifts and career at the service of your family and community, a foundation in entrepreneurship complements your passion and learning with valuable tools that will help you “think like an owner” and be the change you wish to see in the world.

The required courses for the co-specialization in entrepreneurship include two courses focusing on the essence of entrepreneurship, that is, on theory, empirical evidence, and history (ENT 372 and 476); and two other courses that dive deep into case studies and practice (ENT 472 and 455). There is no elective for the co-specialization in Entrepreneurship, but students are encouraged to take ENT 360 or ENT 494 using one of their Free Electives.

For more information, please contact Dr. Frederic Sautet, the director of the Entrepreneurship program. Click here to download a flyer with more information about the program.

Required Courses

  • ENT 372: Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital (Dr. Sautet)

    Interested in knowing more about the source of development and growth? Why advertising and marketing are crucial to the functioning of the marketplace? Or the role of venture capital and angel investing in the future of the US economy? This course provides the tools to understand the phenomenon of entrepreneurship in all its facets, including in the marketplace and in non-profit settings. All students including those with finance, marketing or management major will gain a strong understanding of entrepreneurship. Topics include entrepreneurship and the organization, culture, psychology, institutions, public policy, politics, strategic entrepreneurship, Catholic Social Teaching and ethics. Lecture and discussion format around assigned readings. One final presentation. No quiz. Also see Enrollment Requirements.

  • ENT 455: Small Business Growth Lab (Prof. Walsh)

    ENT 455 will provide a comprehensive overview of the small business landscape in Washington, DC through a sustained a focus on student projects and experiential learning.  Students will fully engage with the local small business community by participating in the Inner City Capital Connections Program, serving as small-scale project managers, and addressing Living Case Studies as appropriate. 

    By the mid-point in the semester, students will have gained the content, context, and connections to become active participants in the local small business ecosystem.  Students who choose to continue with ENT 456 in the Spring will be well prepared to engage more deeply in project work as a result of their experience in 455 during the Fall.

  • ENT 472: Principled Entrepreneurship (Prof. Widmer)

    Learn how to create good profit through principled entrepreneurship. We will explore entrepreneurship theories like Market Based Management (MBM), Long-Term Sustainable Value Creation (LTSVC), The Business Model Canvas and The Lean Startup. The class is based on the case method and will involve several class projects but no exams or other tests. During the course of the semester, students will meet successful entrepreneurs and have a chance to interact with them to learn about what they found useful during their careers.

  • ENT 476: The Spirit of Entrepreneurial Capitalism (Dr. Sautet)

    This course looks at one of the most important issues to understand the reality of the social world: why and how entrepreneurship has been the driving force behind the rise of civilization. It is a course on the political economy of entrepreneurial capitalism. The economic history of the West can be interpreted as a history of the spirit of entrepreneurial capitalism. That history is one of: (a) public and private institutions that enabled production and trade, (b) entrepreneurs and business organizations, and (c) an ecology which includes Christianity and its culture of dignity, virtues, and excellence, as well as other mechanisms enabling reciprocity and the respect of promises made. This course analyzes the history of entrepreneurial capitalism emphasizing these three intertwined aspects.

Other Courses (to be Taken as Free Electives)

  • ENT 494: Independent Study – Developing One's Own Entrepreneurial Project (Prof. Walsh)

    Develop your own entrepreneurial project with Professor W. Brian Walsh.

University Requirements

Students must also complete the core university requirements, specific to their major, in order to complete their degree. Business students are required to complete courses which include: philosophy, theology, humanities, literature, writing and composition, and free electives.

See complete degree requirements, including business and liberal arts requirements.